Goodbye 2020

oh 2020 what a beautiful terrible year. Most of us are not sad to see you go.... but are you really gone? Truly? A lot of us are left with the debris of what the year brought. Heartache, grief, offense. Businesses shut down along with churches, divorce, suicide, death to the virus, division in families, jobs lost, etc.. It also brought restoration for families, house churches were birthed, creative ways to stay in touch or keep our jobs were put into place, new dreams discovered, unfinished house projects were finally finished, and so on.

So where do you find yourself today, friend? A day we maybe put too much expectation in? Like poof everything is going to be AWESOME!

Me?

I'm somewhere in the middle. My husband and I work essential jobs so we did not have quality time to rekindle the romance. We do not have children so I found myself scrolling social media feeling a bit jealous of the family time I saw people post. Growing up we were always at my grandparents or visiting great grandmothers. I was often playing and usually fighting with my sister, or at a church potluck. Our days were full of fellowship and love. Now, they can get a bit lonely if I'm honest and a goal I had was to have more family gatherings in 2020 but that dream was squashed with the shutdown. I found myself constantly wrestling the mask, our freedoms, the church shutdowns, watching people argue, keeping people safe, at the end of the day none of this was consistent or made sense in my mind but I truly wanted to love my neighbor and be a light. If that meant wearing a mask when necessary and staying home as much as possible so be it. I watched people I care about heartbroken because they could not visit their loved ones in nursing homes. I prayed for loved ones with the virus, I prayed for loved ones who had family in the hospital because of the virus, I am praying for grieving people I care about, and I watched loved ones loose coworkers to suicide, this year has been HARD. I am over the smell of bleach, smelling my own breath (sorry I will now carry mints), and people arguing over a stupid mask.

I also watched the remnant church come together stronger than ever. I saw some creative things happen with staying in touch or being able to continue work or church. I saw a come togetherness that was powerful. Music seemed to take the stage at the beginning to keep everyone encouraged. People were posting raw, unedited, videos and they were fantastic! I saw families restored, house churches birthed, new dreams discovered, and a lot of food posts during quarantine. For us personally, 2020 was a successful year for my husband and brother-in-law's business and we are so grateful. I was able to take another job with less hours and complete my second album.

Going into 2021 I feel hopeful. No matter how dark the days get my hope is in God. It's not in a church building or in my job. I am so blessed to have both to go to but if they are taken away I still stand on His word. I have truth written on my heart. The word of God is more precious to me now more than ever.

For a few years now I have sought the Lord on a specific word for the new year. Last year it was Rise Up and you know it makes sense now.

This year I feel it's REVIVE.

Revive- give new strength or energy to

I believe the Lord will revive us! Revive us personally and as a nation!

That’s where he restores and revives my life.

He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure

and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness

so that I can bring honor to his name. Psalm 23:3 TPT

Don't brush off 2020 as the worst year ever! Dig deep and find the gold in it. What did you learn? What can you apply to 2021? Take time and ask God to revive you. Ask Him how you can help others. There are many grieving who can we be a light to each day? A card, a facebook message letting them know we are thinking of them, a phone call (whoah what is that?) We need each other. We need to come together. TESTIFY! Testimony is powerful and important! What has God done in your life? Speak about it friend! Don't keep speaking about how horrible our world is. Speak LIFE! A sign of the last days is people being lovers of themselves and their hearts growing cold and I think it's pretty evident right now. I admit the struggle to love people. I am aware more than ever that I must search my heart daily and get rid of what is hindering love. Let go, forgive, surrender. It' not easy. Let's be a people who keep our hearts soft and humble and put others before ourselves.

I sense it even now as you read this. God is reviving you! He is breathing life back into your weary soul. Let your mind be washed and renewed in His word daily.

Strength is returning to you. A supernatural energy to keep persevering!

Welcome to 2021.

I'm gonna go eat my pork and sauerkraut now.